Ridley Scott Says New Blade Runner Project Probably A Sequel

There's been chatter about a possible new Blade Runner film for years. Way back in 2007 Ridley Scott said he didn't want anything to do with it. More recently, the project began to gain steam, and there was word that it could be a prequel, a sequel, or an outright reboot of the property. A few months ago the producers said the film wasn't likely to hit screens before 2014, and that Harrison Ford was unlikely to be part of it. Now Ridley Scott himself has provided a few new details. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal's Speakeasy blog, Scott said the new Blade Runner film is "liable to be a sequel."

Don't get your hopes up for any familiar faces, however. It will be a sequel in the sense of existing in the same world and possibly dealing with the same sort of themes, but not continuing with the same characters. Scott put yet another nail in the coffin of a theoretical Harrison Ford/Deckard return by saying, "No, not really." That's almost certainly for the best. Blade Runner is damn near perfect as it is; if we really must return to the universe on the big screen, let's explore a different corner of it rather than conjuring up some unlikely excuse to see the Further Adventures of Rick Deckard, Possible Replicant.

As for when we might see the Blade Runner in theaters, Scott doesn't drop any specific dates but does say that "we're quite a long way in, actually." He's currently in the process of trying to find a writer for the film. If that's the case, that 2014 prediction probably isn't too far off base. In the meantime, we've got Scott's sorta-kinda-maybe Alien prequel Prometheus to look forward to on March 21st, 2012.